Display device



May 2, 1933. c J. QUlLL 1,906,413

' DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Feb. 19, 1932 wa e-Z0 Patented May 2, 1933 UNITEDSTATES PATENT FFICE CHARLES J. QUTLL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIAnrsrLAY nnvrcn Application filed February 19, 1932. v SerialhNo.594,104.

illuminate through the container walls, yet I be completely protectedfrom the weather, or outside interference, means being provided,preferably through the journals of a container, if the latter isrotatable, to connect the tube to a source of electricity. I

Other objects and advantages are to provide a display sign that will besuperior in point of simplicity, inexpensiveness of construction,positiveness of operation, and facility and convenience in .use'andgeneral efliciency.

" In this specification and the annexed drawing, the invention isillustrated in the form considered to be the best, but it is to beunderstood that the invention isnot limited to such form, because it maybe embodied in 6 other forms; and it is also to be understood that inand by the claims following the description, it is desired to cover theinvention in whatsoever form it may be embodied.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawingwherein,

Fig. l is a sectional view of a barber pole on astandard. I

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail View of one of the pole journals, thesection being taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of a modified form of pole journalmounting.

Fig. 4 is another modified form of the pole journal. v 1

Fig. 5 is a fragmental, perspective View of a modified container orbarber pole.

In its general organization my invention consists of an attachment forbarber poles of the standard design, whereby the usual stripes of thebarber pole are formed by illuminated tubes containing rarefied gas orthe likefcolored similarly to tubes of neon yp A transformer or the likeelectrical con- I nection isprovided to readily fit into the usualbarber pole standard to connect the tubes to the electric circuit of thebarber pole.

In effect, therefore, by the use of this in,- vention the usual barberpole may be transformed'into a pole wherein the stripes are formed byilluminated tubes of the neon type. This change can be readily achievedwithout any material changes in the usual construe.-

tion of the standard and pole, andwith a, comparatively small expense. i

In detail my invention includes a standar 6, having a cylindricaltransparent wall 7 within which is disposed a concentric pole 8. Thepole 8 may be stationary or it maybe rotatable. In this illustration Ishow the 7 pole 8 rotatably journaled in ball bearings 9 which latterare supported on fixed members of the standard 6 in the usual manner:

Rotation is imparted to the pole 8 by a driving mechanism 11 drivinglyconnected to a stub shaft in the bottom 13 of'the pole 8.

The pole 8 is cylindrical and hollow. Opposite the bottom 13 at theother end of the pole 8 is a top 14. Both the bottom 13 and the top 14are circular discs, on which the hollow cylindrical pole 8 is mounted.From the top 14 extends a stubshaft 16. A cross pin 17 is insertedthrough the inner or lower end of the shaft 16 and through an aperturein a central hub of the top disc 14 soas to firmly secure the shaft 16'and the top 14 together. On the upper end of the shaft 16 is a collar 18resting on the upper ball bearing 9 in which the shaft 16 is secured. Ashaft 19 similarly secured to the bottom 13 is mounted in the lowerbearing 9.

The cylinder 8 may be made of transparent material such as glass, orcellophane, or it may be made of metal with spiral perforationsoropenings into which glass or cellophane is-inserted, 'T'ubes 21 filledwith rarefied gas are disposed within the interior of the cylinder 8.The tubes 21 are bent into spiral shape to conform to" the strip-es on abarber pole, or to the perforated stripes of 100 the cylinder 8. Thetubes 21 are connected in series with each other at 22, at the lowerends thereof. The upper electrode 23 of one tube 21 is connected to awire which is extended into the hollow shaft 16 and connected to theinner race of the upper ball bearing 9.

The upper electrode 24 of the other tube 21 is connected by a wire 26 tothe lower shaft 19 and to the inner race of the lower ball bearing 9.

A suitable transformer 27 is stationa-rily mounted on a bracket 28 inthe top of the standard 6. A terminal. of the transformer 27 isconnected to the stationary outer race of the upper ball bearing 9,while another terminal of the transformer 27 is connected by a wire 29to the stationary outer race of the lower ball bearing 9. The intaketermi- .nals of the transformer 27 are connected to the light circuit ofthe barber pole. The wire 29 is extended through the wall bracket 31 ofthe standard 6 and is concealed therein.

Thus a weather proof contact is established from the transformer 27through the bearings 9 and shafts 18 and 19 to the tubes 21. The ballbearings 9 are insulated from the standard 6 by insulating washers 32.The

lower shaft 19 is also suitably insulated from the driving mechanism 11.The tubes are .colored red, and blue, with white stripes therebetween asof the usual barber poles.

In the modified shaft mounting shown in Fig. .3, the shaft 19 isextended between downwardly protruding ears 32 of a bottom .disc 13 andis drivingly secured thereto by a pin 33. On the inner or upper face ofthe bottom 13 is a socket cap 34 into which the upper end of the shaft19 extends.

A modified form of insulationand support for the shaft 9 from thedriving mech- .anism 11 is shown in Fig. 4. The lower end of the shaft19, in this form, is extended into a socket 36 .of a driving element 37made of insulating material. A transverse slot 38 is formed in saidelement 37 into which fits a cross pin 39 secured in the end of theshaft 19, so that the shaft 19 may be readily disassembled by lifting itout of said socket 36. A lower ball bearing 11 is supported above the.driving element in which the shaft 19 is mounted in the mannerheretofore set forth.

In Fig. 5 I show a cylinder 42 made of either metal, .or glass, or othersuitable material, and is provided with ring-like indentations orgrooves 43 on its outer periphery, in which fit separate ring-like tubes21 to provide the colored decorative stripes re- .quired for the pole.The tubes 21 are connected in multiple series with each other, so as tobe adapted to be illuminated in steps. Any of the forms of my inventionmay be readily assembled on barber poles of the usual design withoutnecessitating a bulky, entirely new barber pole, for use in connectionwith illumination of the type heretofore set forth.

It is to be noted that my invention may be constructed with parallellyarranged wing shaped tubes wound around the red and blue stripes of thebarber pole, either on the inside, or on the outside, where the pole isnot transparent. The ring shaped tubes are then connected in the mannerheretofore set forth, to a transformer or connected in multiple serieswith the secondary terminals of small individual transformers. Theconnection between the rotary element and the stationarytransformers maybe accomplished in the manner set forth, or in any other conventionalway.

Having thus described this invention what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patcut is 1. In a barber pole, a perforated drum, theperforations of said drum being arranged to correspond to the usualstripes of the barber pole, tubes of light transmitting materialcontaining rarefied gas arranged within the pole at said perforations,and being formed to conform to the outline of said perforations, andmeans to connect said tubes to ,a source of electricity.

2. The combination with a rotary hollow barber pole of a usual design,which is transparent at least at its portions forming the usual stripesof the pole, and a standard on which the pole is rotatably supported, ofbearings for supporting the ends of the pole,

a plurality of tubes of light transmitting material containing rarefiedgas, being arranged inside of the hollow pole to conform to the shapesof the respective stripes, means on the standard outside of the poleelectrically connected in series with the tubes through parent at leastat its portions forming the usual stripes of the pole, and a standard onwhich the pole is rotatably supported, of bearings for supporting theends of the pole, a plurality of tubes of light transmitting materialcontaining rarefied gas being arranged inside of the hollow pole toconform to the shapes of the respective stripes, means on the standardoutside of the pole electrically connected in series with the tubesthrough said bearings to connect the tubes to a source of electricity,said means including a transformer station-arily supported on thestandard outside of the barber pole. 7

4. In a rotary barber pole having gas filled illuminating tubes thereon,bearings in which nect the ,rota'ryparts of saidbearings and to therespective tubes to rotate with the pole, the stationary and rotaryparts of the bearings being electric conductors to complete a circuittherethrough.

5. In a display device, a perforated drum, the perforations of said drumbeing arranged in a selected manner, tubes of light transmittingmaterial containing rarefied gas arranged within the device at saidperforations, and being for-med to conform to the outline of saidperforations, and means to connect said tubes to a source ofelectricity.

6. The combination with a rotary display device having translucentportions thruout the length thereof, and a standard on which the displaydevice is rotatably supported, of bearings for supporting the ends ofthe display device, a plurality of tubes of light transmitting materialcontaining rarefied gas, being arranged inside of the display device toconform to the shapes of the translucent portions, means on the standardoutside of the display device electrically connected in series with thetubes through said bearings to connect the tubes to a source ofelectricity.

7 The combination with a rotary display device having translucentportions thruout the length thereof, and a standard on which the displaydevice is rotatably supported, of bearings for supporting the ends ofthe display device, a plurality of tubes of light transmitting materialcontaining rarefied gas being arranged inside of the display device toconform to the shapes of the translucent portions, means on the standardoutside of the display device electrically connected in series with thetubes through said bearings to connect the tubes to a source ofelectricity, said means including a transformer stationarily supportedon the standard outside of the display device.

8. In a rotary display device having gas filled illuminating tubesthereon, bearings in which the display device is journaled, andelectrical connections leading to the stationary parts of said bearingsand leading from and to a source of electricity, and electricalconnections to connect the rotary parts of said bearings to therespective tubes to rotate with the device, the stationary and rotaryparts of the bearings being electric conductors to complete a circuittherethrough.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco,California, this 26th day of January, 1932.

CHARLES J. QUILL.

